Monday, 18 February 2013

Lead Exposure Linked to Higher Risk of Juvenile Delinquency

Pediatricians have always been concerned
about the risks to children from continuous exposure to lead in their
environment.Such exposure can be
through old peeling paint in homes, lead in the soil, and old pipes.Lead exposure can lead to lead
poisoning, which can have serious health effects in newborns, children and
pregnant women.A new study
however also links lead poisoning to a much higher risk of juvenile
delinquency.

According to the research, which analyzed
data from the US Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, approximately half
a million children between the age of one and 5 have blood lead levels which
are higher than the level recommended by the Centers For Disease Control And
Prevention.The researchers
suggest that having such high levels of lead toxicity in the blood, can
possibly lead to juvenile delinquency.

According to the researchers, the amount of
lead exposure does not have to be massive for there to be some kind of effect
on the person's behavior, which could possibly lead to an increased risk of juvenile
delinquency.Even small quantities
of lead exposure can be toxic enough to have such harmful effects.

Overall, the researchers have concluded from
the study that there are many benefits to be gained from enacting legislation
to reduce the amount of lead exposure in the environment.According to them, taking steps to
reduce lead exposure could reduce crime, and could also increase high school
graduation rates.

The results of the study should be very
interesting to any Alabama criminaldefense attorney, because the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention
estimates that children in at least 4 million households in America are
frequently exposed to lead poisoning.